On December 7, 1937, the Japanese General Staff Headquarters issued "Mainland Order No. 24".
This combat order swept away the previous disunity of ideas within Japan, made it clear that Nanjing must be occupied, and the war was fully spread in China.
On the same day, the Central China Front Army Headquarters announced the "Essentials for Capture of Nanjing City." It is required to force the Chinese army to surrender in Kaicheng while the Nanjing city garrison commander or municipal government authorities are still in the city.
From this day on, the Japanese army began to attack the first line of defense positions on the periphery of Nanjing, and ordered that after breaking through this position, they would continue to attack the Nanjing City Fukuo position.
As the order was issued, the Japanese army began to violently bombard the city of Nanjing with heavy artillery, and fireworks suddenly broke out inside and outside Nanjing.
After occupying Tangshui, an important town outside Nanjing, Lieutenant General Nakajima Kongo, commander of the 16th Division, ordered a brigade to assist Colonel Shizuji's 38th Infantry Regiment and Noda Kengo's 33rd Infantry Regiment via Purple Mountain. Beilu attacked Xiaguanjiang River.
The two brigades of the 9th Infantry Regiment commanded by Katagiri Gorō, the 20th Infantry Regiment commanded by Ohno Nobuaki, and the 33rd Infantry Regiment attacked Zhongshan Gate from the southern foot of Purple Mountain. The two forces directly formed a pincer attack on the north and south of Nanjing.
The battle lasted until the afternoon. The 159th Division of the 66th Army bombarded the division headquarters of the Japanese 16th Division at the Tangshui Artillery School. Lieutenant General Nakajima Kongo, the commander of the 16th Division, was immediately injured in his left leg.
The irony is that Nakajima Jingo himself was born in the artillery. He graduated from the 15th Artillery Section of the Japanese Army Sergeant School in November 1903. He was awarded the rank of artillery second lieutenant in March of the following year. He was also sent by the Japanese Army to study in France.
Although this person cannot be said to be a "flower of artillery", he at least has some experience in the use of artillery.
However, during the battle outside Nanjing, Lieutenant General Nakajima Konsogo actually set up his division headquarters at the location of the Tangshan Artillery School of the Chinese Army in Yanjia Village, Zuochang, Tangshan. It can be said that he was a little too arrogant.
Same day, Shanghai.
The "Advance Team" of the Japanese Navy, which was established recently, was actually attacked on Tangen Road where Japanese overseas Chinese gathered. Captain Yamazaki Takeoka and thirteen of his subordinates survived.
This is undoubtedly a major loss for the Japanese Navy's Shanghai secret service.
It is said that that night, gunshots suddenly rang out at Chuanyuan Trading Company, and there were even explosions similar to grenades.
The entire assassination operation only lasted five minutes.
By the time the Japanese police officers arrived, all the killers had already evacuated.
What troubles the Japanese side is how the whereabouts of the advancing team was exposed? The only explanation is that Takeoka Yamazaki liked to drink and liked women. Maybe it was because of these weaknesses that the military commander took advantage of him?
Michio Tanishigehara, head of the "Shanghai Research Office" of the Japanese Navy's Shanghai Secret Service, was furious, while the Army's Shanghai Secret Service was gloating about the misfortune.
After all, a heavy loss to your opponent is a great enhancement of your own strength.
The one who had doubts about this was Kawamoto Kojiro.
Why do military commanders set their sights on the navy? Where did they get the information? Is there something wrong internally?
Of course, he did not suspect Miao Chengfang at all.
Miao Chengfang had never been exposed to this kind of information.
Since "returning" to the Japanese, Miao Chengfang has lived a very comfortable life every day. He hides in his room drinking tea and reading newspapers. It is not particularly important and he is not even willing to leave the door.
However, it is clear that Miao Chengfang's comfortable life has come to an end.
Matsumoto Hitsugu held an emergency meeting in his "Cloud Mansion".
"The attack on the capital of China has begun in full force!" Matsumoto Nitsugi could not conceal his excitement in his words: "I am convinced that with the powerful attack of the empire, the occupation of Nanjing will only happen sooner or later."
Sooner or later?
Tian Qi was very disdainful.
In Shanghai, you fought for more than three months. Nanjing is the capital. The tough soldiers of the national army will persist there for a longer time and inflict more significant damage to you!
"Order." Matsumoto Hitsugu's face straightened: "In order to ensure that after the occupation of Nanjing, stabilize the local order and eliminate the Chinese resistance, our agencies will dispatch personnel to Nanjing. The meaning of the frontline headquarters is, can we dispatch personnel to fight against the enemy? People familiar with the Nanjing area will serve as guides after entering the city and assist the army in clearing out the remaining hidden enemies."
"Your Excellency Colonel, your favorite candidate is Tian Qi, right?" Miao Chengfang asked slowly.
"Yes." Matsumoto Nitsugi's eyes fell on Tian Qi: "Mr. Tian has been stationed in Nanjing for a long time, and he already knows the local situation well, right?"
Tian Qi nodded slowly: "Yes, I am the most suitable candidate, and if His Majesty the Colonel personally orders it, I am willing to assist."
"Very good." Matsumoto Nitsugi looked very satisfied: "Currently, the Ninth Division of Kanazawa is attacking Chunhua Town and Gaoqiao Gate, where they encountered tenacious resistance from the Chinese army. The Sakurai Special Agent Team we organized There have been frequent activities there, I will send a car to take you there immediately, you are under the command of Major Sakurai Kimura, but you can report to me alone."
This gives Tian Qi certain rights.
Tian Qi didn't say a word.
I was finally going back to Nanjing, but I didn’t expect to go back in such a way.
He looked up and found Kawamoto Kojiro looking at him.
There was still suspicion in his eyes.
Tian Qi smiled provocatively.
…
At this time, on the battlefield of Chunhua Town, under the tenacious sniper fire of the National Army's 51st Division, it was difficult for the Japanese 9th Division of Kanazawa to continue to advance. But soon, the Japanese army sent more aircraft to continuously bomb the Chinese army's positions and cooperated with the ground troops to advance forcefully.
The frontline position of the Chinese army was almost completely broken through by the 9th Cavalry Regiment commanded by Colonel Morigo.
At around 16:00 on December 8, the Japanese army launched a joint battle with aviation, artillery, infantry, and cavalry. All the officers and soldiers of the first battalion of the defenders were killed, and Chunhua Town was almost lost.
The leader of the 301st Regiment, Ji Hongru, was seriously injured, almost all company commanders were lost, and there were more than 1,400 casualties below the platoon. The 301st Regiment was almost wiped out and had completely lost its combat effectiveness.
The forwards of the Japanese Army's Kanazawa 9th Division have followed the Chinese army all the way towards Gaoqiao Gate outside Nanjing, which is the second line of defense of the 51st Division.
In order to ensure that the frontline troops could quickly withdraw into the second line of defense, Wang Yaowu thought of the two reserve groups he controlled: Qiu Weida's 306th Regiment and Zhang Lingfu's 305th Regiment that had just withdrawn from Shanghai and arrived in Nanjing.
The order was quickly issued: "The 305th Regiment advances to the front line of Guantou and Shangfang Town behind Chunhua Town to cover the transfer of the main force of the division." At this time, the Japanese army that was detouring towards Fangshan posed a direct threat to Chunhua's flanks. , and the front was bombarded with artillery fire to cover the attack.
After three days, the 51st Division had suffered more than 900 casualties, and the 301st Regiment suffered heavy losses. Looking from the direction of Gaoqiao, Chunhua Town was completely shrouded in fireworks, where fierce battles continued.
Ji Hongru's 301st Regiment was almost crippled. From the contact battle that started on December 4th to now, in just three days, there is almost no main force group left. Under fierce Japanese artillery fire, countless Chinese soldiers lay dead everywhere.
At this time, Zhang Lingfu was also worried about his old classmate Hu Hao.
In the 51st Division, there are many graduates from the fourth phase of Huangpu. In addition to Zhang Lingfu, the 151st Brigade Commander Zhou Zhidao, the 306th Regiment Commander Qiu Weida, the 306th Regiment 3rd Battalion Commander Hu Hao, the 305th Regiment Deputy Chang Xiao De is a fourth-term officer cadet.
Although Zhang Lingfu is not a very sociable person on weekdays, at this time, he is worried about his classmates. After all, the defense of Nanjing this time is really a dangerous battle.
"Tell the troops to assemble urgently." Division Commander Wang Yaowu's order interrupted Zhang Lingfu's contemplation.
"But Master, the second line of positions has not been completed yet."
Zhang Lingfu was shocked. Why was the situation so urgent? He was not a soldier who questioned the order from the top, but he could not understand it.
"It's too late, tell the brothers to get ready to fight." Division Commander Wang Yaowu only left this sentence, turned around and left.
The divisional staff officer stood there with an awkward expression for a while, then came up angrily to tell Zhang Lingfu the specific situation.
After listening to the staff officer's briefing, Zhang Lingfu issued an order for the entire regiment to assemble: "Transfer the defense to the neighboring 87th Division to take over the defense, and advance from Gaoqiao Gate to the position west of Chunhua Town." Zhang Lingfu's order Very straightforward.
"Everyone is here, march forward one by one, and push towards Chunhua." Facing a group of brothers standing solemnly in the evening breeze, regimental deputy Chang Xiaode shouted at the top of his voice. He knew that this trip would be a battle. In a bloody battle, many brothers will leave their lives there.
Like those brothers whose faces were full of smoke, Chang Xiaode also had a calm face. This battle has been fought all the way to Nanjing City. If he dies, he will die happily. Rather than die under this gun, it is better to be a subjugated slave. Much stronger.
Otherwise, I wouldn't have been admitted to the Whampoa Military Academy and joined the army. Isn't it because I wanted to use a new type of army to save the suffering China? What do you mean, I vowed not to be a slave to the subjugation of the country.
The Japanese artillery shells almost exploded most of the outer positions into a sea of flames. Countless shell fragments were flying everywhere, and the burning fire reduced many villages and towns on the outskirts of Nanjing to ashes.
Relying on the cover of artillery fire, the Japanese army launched attacks from all directions against the Chinese troops stationed inside and outside the city. Countless stray bullets were flying in the sky, and specks of tracer bullets were moving randomly and were illuminated by the rising flares. The night sky was as bright as day.
In the continuously billowing smoke and dust, the houses in Chunhua Town collapsed one after another, and the devastated position was once again immersed in thick smoke and fire.
Going east from the Gaoqiaomen position, the road was full of broken troops.
Zhang Lingfu found the scene before him simply unimaginable. Before this, the commander-in-chief had insisted on defending Nanjing and fighting to the last man. But with the scene in front of us, how could we continue to fight this battle?
And on that night, Tian Qi rushed to the front line from Shanghai and successfully merged with the Sakurai Special Agent Team.
